2005-09-13

Cardless in Geneva: On the phone

It’s kind of funny I suppose that someone as conservative as I who seldom rely on credit cards would find myself cardless and bewildered upon arrival by Lake Geneva. The ATM seemed quite confused as well. Having successfully demolished my plans for the next day it started complaining about being temporarily out of service and didn’t accept any more customers.

Time for the first international cell phone call in this matter, to my bank in Stockholm. What a lovely invention, a bank you can call at any odd hour! They agreed that the card must be blocked and a new one ordered and sent to my home. But I needed cash. Did I want to use the Emergency Cash service? Didn’t have much of a choice really and agreed. It would cost SEK300, I was told. At which hotel did I stay? What was my passport number? How much did I need? Someone would call me back, maybe the same evening but probably the next day, and have this fixed.With my phone turned on I went to sleep, grateful that I had decided to check in to my hotel before the ATM adventure.